nazi memorabilia at AWA??

[davemerrill]

After the show this year - well, after the dealers room was closed, anyway - I found out that a dealer was selling Nazi memorabilia in the dealers room. No, really, here's a photo.



Neil took this photo. I had walked past this dealer at least twice but didn't notice the Nazi flag. I noticed the German Army WWII style uniforms, the hats, the "yaoi" armbands with "yaoi" where the swastika would be, but didn't see any actual swastikas. But they were there, pictures don't lie.

I'm deeply embarrassed that I and AWA and its staff, directors, and attendees, are in any way associated with somebody who would profit from trivializing one of the most horrific episodes in human history. Nazi memorabilia has no place being sold at AWA.

Right now there's a thread on the message board where discussion of this issue is taking place, and I urge everyone to take a moment to let the convention know your thoughts on this.

My personal feeling? I am going to take whatever steps necessary to ensure that this dealer, or any other dealer, will not be selling Nazi memorabilia at AWA next year, or any other year. It does not belong at AWA. Full stop, end of story.

Comments

[davemerrill.livejournal.com]

The Internet thinks the South is the only place in America with racists and neo-Nazis? Think again, Internet. Hint: "famous potatoes".

Seriously, I am in the evidence-gathering stage right now, waiting for AWA admin to catch their breath from the show. I'm getting a lot of support on the AWA message board as well, and some private message action too.

When all my ducks are in a row, I will make a formal type complaint to the entire AWA administration.

This extends a lot further than AWA however. It might be time for, say, Anime News Network to have a front-page article asking "why are there Nazis at our anime conventions?"

[warpig1979.livejournal.com]

The Internet thinks the South is the only place in America with racists and neo-Nazis?

The state with the most groups on the SPLC Hate Map: California, at 84. (Idaho has a mere 18. The Aryan Nations actually got sued out of town and moved to Florida about ten years ago...)

But yeah, good luck with the project here. This outfit seems to have kinda slipped through fandom's tendency to let acts of terrible crassness slide by unmentioned. Cheers for standing up to say something about it.

[footyfoot.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, come on down to Dallas and eat at Horst Wessel's BlitzenChicken Shack, half-price off right wings and assholes if you give the Party Salute! Death's Heads n' Gizzards complimentary! We LOVE our Nazis down here!"

Bullshit. That's just a cop out by people who don't want to look too closely at what squiggles around under the rocks in their own garden. Neo-Nazi shitheads are everywhere in the US, if you care to open your eyes and look.

[redneckgaijin.livejournal.com]

Dallas, maybe not.

Madisonville? Vidor? More likely.

Racism and fascism find their strongest support in America in rural areas.

[sixstop.livejournal.com]

The Internet thinks the South is the only place in America with racists and neo-Nazis?

yes. as near as I can tell, thats exactly what the rest of the english speaking north america are happy to believe.

Probably stems from cross association with the confederate battle flag.

[davemerrill.livejournal.com]

People need to watch 'The Blues Brothers' again. I hate Illinois Nazis.

[redneckgaijin.livejournal.com]

It also stems from the fact that those ideas are stronger in rural areas, and the South is more generally rural in population distribution than most of the rest of the country.

[davemerrill.livejournal.com]

We even have 'em up here - not surprising, as Canada is mostly rural, largely white dealing with an influx of "other" immigrants, and can be just as racist as anybody.

We used to live down the street from this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Z%C3%BCndel

I'll tell ya, it's weird finding Klan memorabilia in an antique mall in Ontario. But it's there.